A Moment of Clarity
by YaoiLord
Summary: The war was won and there was a celebration. Doctor Strange was quite contented with the background noise lulling him.


Strange used to be acquainted with this kind of events—mostly receiving recognition in his field, with the night ending with him bringing to his flat another plaque of his achievement. He would put it away with the others he received within his years as a neurosurgeon; a cabinet separated from the one containing his awards from his school and university years. His flat wasn't a home, more like a container of his statements as a successful individual.

Successful, but never satisfied.

That evening, he wasn't given anything shiny that would become a dust gatherer, nobody calling him at the stage to give a brief speech that was never sincere.

What he got was a hall full of people of all kinds—agents, royalties of Wakanda and of Asgard, a merry band of space travelers, the recently reunited Avengers, and of course, some people from the government. He saw Wong a while ago, and Strange came with Christine but she was separated from him when she recognized a Wakandan medic who she had worked with during and after the war.

In a place filled with heroes, the honor of being part of the protectors of Earth was more gratifying than any of Stange's huge trophies.

He was contented to be situated alone by a window where mostly didn't recognize him without his get up and cloak. He was sure Christine would find it uncharacteristic, but then again she didn't know that he was just good at keeping up faces and pretending to be attentive in conversations that he seldom liked.

Strange was secretly enjoying the prospect of spending the evening lulled with a pleasant background noise when there was a yell not far.

"Friend wizard!" a voice bellowed, and if it was who Strange thought, he didn't want to turn around.

Unfortunately, the call seemed to have attracted the attention of those nearby.

"Prince Thor," Strange said to the person who came to him. For a hulking blonde with cropped hair and a single eye, the prince didn't fail to appear like an overgrown child with an enthusiastic beam.

"It's King Thor now, actually," Thor correctly softly. "But I'm Thor to any friend of mine." He grinned. "And you're a friend and a fellow hero, friend wizard."

"It's Strange, actually."

Thor frowned. "What is?"

Strange recognized that Thor calling him by his name was a battle he couldn't win. He shook his head.

"Why are you not partaking in the celebration? You deserve to be honored as much as most of the people here. Come, I'll introduce you to the Guardians."

Unceremoniously, Strange was dragged and introduced around a group of five people—six, if you counted the tree-like person, which maybe he should given that he counted the talking raccoon as a person. According to Thor, they were the one who brought him back to Earth after the Asgardians bumped against their ship. It helped that the leader of their team, the one they call Star Lord, was originally from Earth.

They were certainly the most diverse.

"Doctor Strange. Pleasure."

"And this is the wizard friend I was telling you about. The person who lead me to my father when he went missing," was Thor's way of introducing Strange to the Guardians.

Star Lord, who for someone who hasn't been in the face of earth for a long time, knew proper decorum and offered his hand which Strange shook. The woman with antennas was looking at Strange curiously and gave a small smile. The tree-like person said the same line over and over about who he was. The green woman beside Star Lord nodded curtly. Then there was the talking raccoon and another male alien with grey skin and odd markings fighting over a plate of sushi which Thor merely laughed at.

Strange allowed his mouth to quirk amusedly. Well, it wasn't a common sight after all.

Thor took it upon himself to maneuver them both in the crowd, introducing Strange to anybody who might not recognize him without his billowing cape (Thor's own words). Strange relented without a word, seeing as the Asgardian looked as if he was having fun being a guide.

The last person Thor steered him to was the king of Wakanda, the Black Panther. Thor's posture became straighter and more formal at the presence of another royalty. Another king at that. Thor was more of a commoner when in the company of his close circle. King T'Challa on the other hand retained his air of a king that commanded respect without making one feel inferior to him. They were both respectable people and rightful kings in their own way. Strange appreciated the rare moment to be in the presence of the two.

"Doctor Strange," King T'Challa said, much to Strange's surprise on being recognized easily, as he shook his hand. "I heard many good things about you."

Strange was suddenly glad for the heavy pats Thor gave him.

"Part of duty," he murmured.

King T'Challa seemed to remember something for a moment. He turned to his left, where a man was standing close. An agent, if Strange was right.

"This is Agent Ross. He had been a colleague before Wakanda opened to the United Nations. And now he's a trusted friend of mine," the Black Panther added fondly.

After the brief exchange of names, the two kings went on in a conversation away from Strange and Agent Ross, leaving them both unsure what to do.

"The God of Thunder certainly knows how to mingle," came an offhanded comment from the agent.

"Must be the life of parties at Asgard," Strange replied absently.

"Will not be surprised. King T'Challa doesn't mind though."

Strange nodded. "They must have found some common ground."

Ross' eyebrows shot up. "I've been to Wakanda for a few days. They don't seem to be the partying bunch."

"What? No, I—oh, you're laughing."

"Sorry, can't help it," Ross said after he recomposed himself. "Good mood brought by victory."

Strange perfectly understood what he meant. He wasn't a life of events but there was something pleasant in the air making him feel light.

"Oh, I haven't thanked you yet personally, have I?" Ross said. "I'm a pilot of one of those aircrafts that crashed. You transported us on time into somewhere safe."

Strange vague remembered that as he was in the middle of a heated battle with some of the Chitauri. He recalled bits of it such as men falling from some burning ship, in parachutes but at the clear line of sight of fire. It was an accidental sort of magic Strange called out of desperation to save them as much as he could. He didn't even know where the portal they fell on led to.

"Did I land you all safely?"

"Oh, yes. A few miles away but those mattresses were soft. Not really complaining." Ross chuckled.

Strange blinked, perplexed. "Mattresses?"

"You landed us on a supermarket. Particularly on the mattresses department."

"I did?" Strange was more surprised hearing that. "That was…"

"Quick thinking," Ross supplied. "It was amazing, Doctor Strange, and we thank you for saving our lives back there."

Strange offered a polite smile, only to hide the odd sensation he has. "You're welcome, Agent Ross."

"Everett, if you will, Doctor."

"You can drop the doctor then. Strange, or Stephen if you will," Strange absently said in return, completely forgetting that he used to correct the people who forgot his title of doctor.

"Strange, huh."

"So is your name, if you don't mind me pointing it out. Isn't Everett a female name?" Strange mentally flinched at his lack of tact. And he even let his mouth ran on without understanding what Ross meant.

Ross didn't seem offended though, but rather wearing a grin and a spark of something akin to recognition in his eyes.

"It is," Ross admitted. "I'm sorry, this is going to sound strange—no pun intended—but have we met before?"

Strange raised an eyebrow.

Ross' cheeks colored a bit. "Ah, no. That's not a pickup line or… just curious. It's like I've met you since before the war."

There was a sudden flash, too quick for Strange to make it out clearly but caught a few visions of Ross in a much casual clothes with a sandy brown and grey hair; with a limp that was gone in the next frame; him running in handcuffs connected to somebody else; him carrying a little girl and handing her to another man.

Strange had no idea what he saw, and yet there was an inkling of familiarity that didn't took him by surprise. Instead he was met with clarity. Like he finally has something he was looking for.

"It does seems like I've met you before too." Strange smiled.

Somehow, it sounded like the most accurate statement he ever said.

* * *

 **The End**


End file.
